


Cold Water for Blood

by CrystalDragonette



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance doesn't remember his life, M/M, Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, Siren Lance, lance is dead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-19 18:04:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14878652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrystalDragonette/pseuds/CrystalDragonette
Summary: Three years ago, Keith lost his best friend and almost lost his brother.Three years ago, Shiro lost the love of his life and his arm.Three years ago, Lance lost his life.Shiro goes to the river were Lance died to try to move on, what would he have to deal with when he sees Lance, staring at him from the water.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is really fun to write! And I'm enjoying exploring this idea. The idea itself belongs to autumn---sky on Tumblr!

He scratched at the seatbelt, tugging and pushing the button before it unbuckled. He wasn’t moving quick enough. He had to save him. Save… 

Save who?

He pulled at the handle of the door, each attempt becoming more and more desperate.

He couldn’t hold his breath any longer. His lungs felt as if they would burst.

 

He opened his mouth.

He could feel the water filling his lungs, felt them burn. It hurt.

It hurt so much.

He couldn’t get out. He was going to die.

“Shiro!”

Blue eyes looked into his, a bright smile dancing across soft lips.

Lance.

He had to save Lance!

Shiro bolted out of bed, Lance’s name fading into the dark as he fought to catch his breath.

The same nightmare.

It was the same nightmare that he’s had for the past 3 years.

He hadn’t been able to save Lance. 

He almost wasn’t able to save himself.

Shiro gripped the stump of where his right arm use to be as tears of frustration began to fell. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Him and Lance were supposed to be married, living in Shiro’s studio apartment; not Shiro being broken and alone, living in his brother's farmhouse, while the love of his life was dead.

“Shiro?”

The lights flickered on, the bed sank down under more weight. Shiro didn’t want to look at his brother, didn’t want to see the tired or sad look his eyes held.

Lance had been his best friend, the one to help him out of his shell. When Lance had died, so did a part of his brother. He had been angry, yelling and screaming; he closed himself off and even now he barely left unless it was for work.

“Shiro, look at me.”

He gave in and looked at his brother, his eyes dull but determined.

“We can’t keep doing this.”

Shiro rubbed his eyes, sighing. “Can’t keep doing what? The nightmares? I can hardly control those.”

“All of this. We can’t keep this up, Shiro. We’re going to kill ourselves this way.” He sounded so tired, so defeated.

“Keith-”

“We’re going to the river.”

It felt like Shiro’s soul froze. “No.”

“This isn’t up for discussion.”

“I am not going. Keith, please.”

“We have to face this… If it’s too much, we’ll leave.”

 

\--------

 

Shiro stared at the river, taking in shuddering breaths. He could do this. He promised Keith, even if his brother couldn’t do it himself. He moved forward towards the side of the road, overlooking the river. Lance had loved this river. Always coming to it during the summer. Shiro remembered the first time Lance had dragged him to it, years before they started dating. He had doubted he would have fun, Lance proving him wrong.

His feet carried him into the grass, lost in his memories. One day turned into two then three, and soon they had spent almost every day of the summer at the river. He slipped his shoes and socks off, leaving them in the grass before walking to the sandbank. He remembered the nights him and Lance had spent there, talking about space and life. Shiro walked along the river, eyes never truly seeing what was in front of him until he heard a loud noise, snapping out his memories.

He felt the blood drain from his face, felt his breathing freeze. He must be going crazy. Or… he was dreaming.

Maybe he was being haunted.

“Lance?” It came out as a hoarse whisper.

In the river was Lance, chest deep, staring at him.

Worst of all, Lance looked dead, pale with a few jagged scars. 

Lance was dead so…. how?

The shock finally settled in and Shiro felt his knees hit the ground before there was nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Shiro shifted in the sand, watching as Lance lounged in the shallow water. It wasn’t often they come here at night but Lance had been restless.

He already knew Lance had had a fight with his parents again; he was feeling pressured and caged. Lance’s parents were good people, even if they were a bit pushy. They weren’t trying to pressure Lance, Shiro knew this for a fact, but the class applications were going to end soon and if Lance didn’t apply soon, he’d have to wait another year.

“You’re thinking too loudly.”

Shiro was startled out of his thought, looking at Lance who turned to lay on his stomach, watching Shiro.

“I know you’re worried about me… But I know what I’m doing.” Lance’s voice was soft. “People sometimes think I’m an idiot because of how I act… But I got accepted into the same classes as Pidge and Hunk.” He rolls back onto his back, staring at the stars. “It’s not wrong for me to want to take a break… To want to relax. I’m not Pidge or Hunk. I’m definitely not like how Matt was when it came to work…” His voice grew quiet at Matt’s name.

Shiro hadn’t been around to meet Matt. He knew that him and Lance had been close before he disappeared. He knew that while their enthusiasm for work were on complete different ends, their personalities had been similar, according to Pidge.

“I just want a little break.” Lance closed his eyes, just laying in the water. 

Shiro often forgot that Lance had a completely different side to him, one that hardly came out. 

Lance suddenly let out a yelp, flipping and crawling out of the water. “Something touched me! Shiro! Something touched me!”

Shiro blinked before laughing. Lance always found a way to break the tension.

“Are you laughing at me?!”

“Don’t worry, Lance. I’ll protect you.”

At times, Shiro had to wonder…

Was he in love with Lance?

\-----

Shiro jerked away, coughing as water splashed in his face. His vision cleared and he pales, that thing had dragged itself over Shiro, a look of confusion over its face.

Lance’s face.

This thing looked like Lance. He felt his eyes water.

He froze.

Around its neck was a necklace.

A necklace he had given Lance. 

“-ig guy.”

Shiro looks back up at its face. “W-what?”

“I said, ‘are you okay, big guy?’ You hit the ground pretty hard.” He even sounded like Lance. He watches he sits himself up and that’s when Shiro notices the tail.

He had a tail. 

“What are you?” He blurts out, eyes wide.

This thing’s lips grew into a dangerous smile, revealing sharp teeth. “Why, I’m a siren, of course.”

Shiro lays back down completely, eyes closed. “I’m going crazy. I’m insane. This isn’t happening. I’ve finally snapped. Keith was right.”

Laughter filled the air and he rolled his head to the side, watching as this… siren clutched his stomach, laughing full and loud.

“You’re pretty funny for a human!” The siren grins, large and beaming.

This was Lance.

This siren was Lance. 

He closed his eyes, willing the tears back. 

Shiro did this to him. 

The pale skin… the milky white eyes… the scars..

“Are you crying?”

Shiro sits up, letting out a shaky breath. “No… It’s just a bit of pain..”

Lance tilts his head, watching him.

Shiro looks at him, eyes wide. “Wait, are you going to eat me?!” He looked panicked, even at the absurdity of all of this. 

Lance let out a snort before it blew into full blown laughter, small hics and snorts making their way in.

“No. I’m sorry but your meat would be a bit too tough for me to chew.”

Shiro groaned, and for a moment, it was like Lance was normal. That Lance wasn’t this….

“What are you even doing here?” Lance lays in the sand, watching him.

“I… just reliving some memories.”

“Really? Were they of this Lance person? You kept saying his name before I woke you up.”

He didn’t even remember his name. 

“Yeah… Yeah, they were about him.”

Lance leans on his hands, claws digging into his cheeks. It was like he couldn’t fell them.

“You sounded so sad.”

“He… He died. This was his favorite place.”

It was silent. Lance watching him, never blinking.

“You must have loved him….”

“More than anything…” It felt so weird talking about Lance with Lance.

Except it wasn’t Lance anymore.

Music filled the air, startling Shiro and Lance.

Keith’s ringtone.

Fuck.

Shiro pulls his somewhat wet phone from his pocket, answering it.

“Keith?”

“I’m so sorry, Shiro.”

He had been crying. 

“I should have gone with you like I promised. I’m sorry…. I’m sorry…” His voice broke. 

Shiro closed his eyes, trembling. “Keith… Keith, breathe. It’s okay… I… I’m okay…”

He watched as Lance pulled himself closer, looking curious.

“Shiro….”

“I’ll be home soon. I’ll head there now.”

“Okay… Okay, I’m sorry…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’ll see you soon.”

Keith is silent for a moment. “I love you…”

“I love you too. Lay down.”

Keith didn’t say anything else, choosing to hang up.

Shiro slipped his phone back into his pocket and stood up slowly, looking at Lance.

“I have to leave… Can I come back to see you?”

“To see me?”

Shiro nods, watching as Lance made his way to the water. 

“I can’t stop you from coming here…”

That was good enough. 

“I’ll see you later.”

 

It wasn’t until Shiro was a few miles from the river did it hit him. His dead lover was a siren and now he’s asked to see him again.

What was he going to do?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short Keith centric chapter!

Keith glared at his bloodied hands, angry tears refusing to fall. Lance laid out beside him, bruises matching Keith’s own.

“You done now?” Lance’s voice was hoarse as he spat out blood. “Can I sit up without you going for my face again?”

“...Yeah, sure.” He really didn’t care at the moment.

Lance sits up, groaning softly. “It’s been a while since we fought like that. High school, right?”

“Eleventh grade. We had both failed that test.”

“Right, and I ended up knocking over your water all over your report. I guess the stress got to the both of us.”

Keith snorted, leaning against Lance. “Right. Stress cause us to nearly be expelled.”

“Shiro was so fucking pissed.”

“Oh god. I thought he was going to kill me when he walked into the office.”

“He looked like he was. My mama wanted to beat me until I was even more black and blue. I was scared to even come out of my room! Dad thought it was funny as hell, though.”

“He would.”

“Keith?”

“What?”

“I really am sorry. I didn’t mean the things I said. I was…. You said that Shiro would never be interested in me and it hurt. It hurt a lot.”

Keith closed his eyes, pressing his cheek into Lance’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said it. I just got so tired of the way you looked at him. He’s my brother! I thought it was hero worship or something.”

“Or something.” Lance snorted. “Dude, I’ve had a thing for Shiro since the day we met. It just….grew.”

“Yeah, grew and made you into a raging gay.”

“I am bisexual, cryptid boy! If anyone is gay, it’s you. Don’t think I haven’t seen you staring at Rolo’s ass.”

Keith let out groan, hiding his face in Lance’s shoulder. He couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he listened to Lance’s laugh.

\------

Keith stared blankly at the wall, the memory playing over and over. Lance had been his best friend, had been his world for the longest time. He regretted telling Lance that Shiro would never want him, knew that Shiro loved Lance just as much as Lance loved him…

He just didn’t want to be left behind. 

He made Shiro go to the river by himself. God, he was such an ass for that. He should have went. 

He listened as the front door opened, slow footsteps making their way to him.

He buried his face in the blanket.

Lance’s blanket.

The one he always used when he stayed over.

Keith always slept in Lance’s room when everything got to much; as did Shiro.

“Keith?”

“I’m awake…” He feels the bed dip down as Shiro sits on it.

“Another dream?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

Shiro let out a sigh, laying down next to Keith. Keith didn’t have as many dreams as he did but they still affected him just as bad. 

“I miss him, Shiro…”

“I know, Keith…” What was he supposed to say? ‘Hey, I found out that Lance is a zombified mermaid and I got to speak to him.’ Keith would have him committed for that. “Sleep. I’ll make dinner tonight.”

“Please don’t. I like having taste buds.”

“My cooking isn’t that bad!”

“Yes, Shiro, it is. Just get takeout again.”

“Fine, fine…” he mutters as he pulls out his phone.

Maybe he should take some cooking classes seeing as Keith was the only one who could cook.

He would tell Keith about Lance later.


End file.
